Teach Middle East Magazine Nov-Dec 2015 Issue 2 Volume 3 | Page 6

EDITOR’S MESSAGE... Teach UAE Magazine® EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Carolyn Lee [email protected] ART DIRECTOR A.T.Pandian [email protected] +971 50 508 1431 CONNECT. DEVELOP. EMPOWER. Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. - Arthur Ashe It is time to reflect and relax after what has been for many educators, a hectic first trimester. From dealing with challenges with balancing timetables to lesson planning, CPDs and evaluation … the journey to this moment has been filled with the usual highs and lows. Through it all, one constant has remained – educators love what they do and most remain truly passionate about teaching. As you take time to reflect, focus on the successes that you have experienced during this first trimester. Whether it is that your students surprised you in getting a challenging task done or a colleague helped you to master a bit of technology which proved to be effective in your lessons … those moments of triumph, no matter how small, are accomplishments that you can be proud of. At Teach UAE Magazine, our successes are reflected through our talented writers who do such an amazing job of sharing what works in classrooms across the UAE and the region. Your feedback and continued support have allowed us to remain steadfast in our goal of connecting, developing and empowering educators. In this issue, we continue to share the innovative work of educators who are making a difference in the classroom. We take you inside the American Community School, the oldest private school in Abu Dhabi. Class Time features useful tips on writing an effective professional development plan, student leadership roles and more. 4 | Nov - Dec 2015 | | We congratulate the leadership, citizens and residents of the UAE on the occasion of the 44th National Day in our special feature “The Pride of A Nation”. Check it out for brief snapshots of the leadership, their quotes on education, and perspectives from Emirati thought leaders. We also take a look at Martyrs’ Day and some of the initiatives that have resulted from it. After the Bell features A Moment With HE Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Resource Development Authority (KHDA), Snapshots of Zambia and a lovely chat with our writer Aisha Shakti Hakim. Our Bella section will become more interactive, as our writer Maryann Reid wi